


Second Date

by Sadbhyl



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-21
Updated: 2012-03-21
Packaged: 2017-11-02 06:44:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/366091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sadbhyl/pseuds/Sadbhyl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Although a good rule of thumb for a first date is don't do anything so exciting that it'll be hard to top on the second date.” “Believe it or not, since I've moved here to live on top of the Hellmouth, the events of this evening actually qualify as a slow night. (pauses and considers) Did you just say 'second date'?” “You noticed that, huh?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Second Date

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Choose your Author challenge. Originally published July 26, 2004. I was asked for Giles/Jenny with any of the Scoobies and/or Angel, your choice, in which Giles tries to take Jenny on a nice romantic date, the Hellmouth has other ideas. I think there was a little confusion when I said I wrote G/J, and it was interpreted as Jenny and not Joyce, but that’s okay, because I like Jenny for Giles almost as much!

Jenny Calendar looked up from her lesson plans at the soft “Ahem” coming from her classroom doorway.

Rupert Giles stood there, looking uncertain as he clasped several books tightly against his stomach. She smiled brightly. “Oh, hey, Rupert! What’s up?”

“Um, well,” he stepped a little further into the room, hesitating as he pushed his glasses up onto the bridge of his nose. She loved those glasses. There was something so Clark Kent-ish about them. “I’ve been thinking. About what you said the other day. About a . . . second date? And I was wondering . . .”

He was so damn cute when he was flustered. She hadn’t made a boy tongue tied since high school, so to have this man, this smart, funny, sexy man at a loss for words in her presence was a real ego boost. She rose from her seat to circle around and lean provocatively against her desk, glad she had worn her short skirt today. Not too short, of course, but it showed her legs off to best advantage. When he didn’t continue, she coaxed him. “You were wondering . . .?”

“I was?” Oh yeah, he was definitely checking out the legs. “Oh yes, right, of course.” He dropped his eyes in embarrassment. “I was wondering if you might be interested in something a little more prosaic. The University players are doing Shakespeare in the Park tomorrow night. _Comedy of Errors_. I though perhaps we could take a picnic dinner and catch the show.”

And a romantic to boot. This man just got better and better every time he opened his mouth. “That sounds really nice. I’d like that.”

The smile that broke out on his face could have lit the town. “Excellent! That’s just . . . excellent. I’ll pick you up at seven then? At your place?”

“Sounds good to me. I’m looking forward to it.”

“I’ll see you then then.” He turned to leave, still grinning. “Excellent.”

She couldn’t help grinning as well.

 

 

Jenny was pleasantly surprised when she opened her door to find Rupert dressed less formally than he was at school. He still wore a jacket, but instead of the usual tweed three-piece, this one was a soft baby corduroy that made her hands itch to rub over it. The rich café au lait color of it contrasted nicely with the dark turtleneck sweater he wore underneath. The sweater clung nicely to the sculpture of his torso, the jacket delineating rather than hiding his shape. A pair of twill khakis and black loafers completed the outfit. She was hard pressed to keep from licking her lips at the sight of him. Gone was the nebishy librarian. He looked more like some erudite professor, one who wasn’t entirely ethical when it came to his students. The thought gave her a pleasant little tremble. “You look nice,” she said, not wanting to scare him off.

“You look breathtaking,” he complimented honestly. She wore a simple black floral sundress with her grandmother’s silk shawl over the top, silver at her ears and throat. She felt fairly casually dressed, but he seemed to appreciate it. He offered his arm. “Shall we?”

She loved the old fashioned attention. He opened doors for her, and helped her in and out of the car, a classic old Citroen which he apologized for but she adored. He wouldn’t let her carry anything until she insisted, finally relenting to allow her to take the blanket from him. He didn’t even let her spread it out, doing it himself before helping her sit as he unpacked the basket. Now, Jenny considered herself a liberated woman, but she had to admit there was something really nice about being treated like a lady.

They weren’t the only couple to have had this idea, and the park in front of the proscenium was dotted with couples and families eating and playing while they waited for the performance to start. But it was easy to ignore them as Jenny broke through Rupert’s reticence to learn more about him while they ate. That he had excellent taste in food was obvious from the contents of the basket. Cold poached chicken, pasta salad rich with vegetables, and wonderfully buttery bread complemented the dry wine he had selected. As the meal went on, Rupert relaxed, smiling and laughing more, making his rugged face even more handsome, his hazel eyes bright and deep enough to get lost in.

More people started arriving as they moved on to dessert, chocolate dipped biscotti and chocolate mousse. He flushed a bit when she enthused over it. “I noticed you get a chocolate bar before your free period every day. I took a chance that it meant you like chocolate.”

“I like your powers of deduction, Mr. Giles. I love chocolate.” She dipped her finger in the mousse and offered it to him.

He looked surprised and momentarily panicked before he leaned forward and gently took her finger in his mouth. The warm slide of his tongue across the sensitive pad of it sent a thrill through her at the promise implied by his action. Oh yeah. Being a lady was nice, but being a tramp had its own rewards as well. She leaned forward, bringing their faces within inches of each other . . .

“Giles!” Xander’s voice erupted from behind them, jerking them apart. “I didn’t think you ever came out of the library by choice.” The young man came around and dropped bonelessly onto the blanket next to them, picking through the basket to find any remaining food.

Willow came around them as well to smile uncertainly. “Hey, Miss Calendar,” she waved hesitantly. “Hi, Giles.”

Jenny pulled back reluctantly. “Hey guys.”

Rupert looked frustrated. “Willow. Xander. What are you . . . what brings you here?”

“Homework,” Xander said, his mouth full of bread. “Mr. Simons assigned it for English class.”

“I see. And, and Buffy? Is she . . .”

“Yeah, she’s here, too,” Willow confirmed. “She just stopped to talk to somebody.”

“Oh. Well, that’s . . . yes, of course.”

Xander wrinkled his nose at the pasta salad. “We didn’t expect to see you guys here,” he said, picking around the vegetables to pop bits of pasta in his mouth.

“That was rather the point.”

“They’re on a date, Xander, or couldn’t you tell?” Buffy shook her head as she joined them, a blanket over her arm. “Hey, Giles. Hi, Miss Calendar.”

“What? Who?” Xander looked confused. He looked from Jenny to Rupert to the bottle of wine to the biscotti in his hand. “A date? Really?”

“Come on, Mr. Observant,” she grabbed him by one arm, pulling him to his feet as Willow took his other. “Sorry we interrupted you guys. Have a nice night.”

“Bye, guys.” Jenny smiled as they moved away through the quickly growing crowd.

Rupert just looked mortified. “I’m very sorry about that.”

She covered his hand with hers. “Don’t be silly. I like them, they’re good kids. And they obviously think a lot of you.”

“Well, I certainly think quite a bit of them. I just could wish they weren’t quite so omnipresent.”

She moved to press herself up against his shoulder. “Well, I think you’re safe from that for the rest of the evening. So just relax and enjoy the play.”

Her timing couldn’t have been better, as a trumpet voluntary sounded, announcing the beginning of the play. They were ideally situated, off to the side where they would have some privacy but close enough to the stage that they could see and hear clearly. The company did a wonderful job, comfortable with all the levels of cross-dressing as well as the complex language. Jenny was pleased to see Rupert relax again. He wasn’t forward enough to put his arm around her, but he did lean on it behind her to give her a place to rest her back if she wanted it. She made good use of it, enjoying the feel of his strength.

It was halfway through the third act when she heard it, a faint rustling in the bushes off to their left. She sat up a little straighter, trying to see through the leaves. “Did you hear that?”

“Hmm?” Rupert broke his attention away from the stage.

“I thought I heard something in the hedge.”

Rupert followed her gaze, sharp and alert. But after a moment he shook his head. “I don’t hear anything.”

“I’m sure I heard something.”

“I’m certain you did. Most likely it was college students looking for a quiet place for a tryst. They’ve most likely moved on now that you’ve noticed them.”

“I suppose.” She turned her head reluctantly back to the stage.

That’s when the bushes exploded as a six-foot tall bug thing burst out to spring at her, grabbing her leg to pull her back towards the shelter of the foliage.

“Rupert!” she screamed, kicking at the head of the creature which was unfortunately out of reach. The crowd around them retreated amidst cries of surprise and alarm, leaving them to their own defense.

“Jenny!” He lunged, grabbing her by her arms to pull back, trying to haul her out of the creature’s grasp. The creature clicked and chattered in protest, driving its spurs deeper into the ground to keep from losing traction. Rupert risked letting go of her with one hand to grab a large stone which he pitched at its head. The rock struck, bouncing off the hard shell of the creature’s carapace with a cracking sound. Hoping for surprise, Rupert jerked hard on her struggling body, but the creature didn’t release its grip in the slightest.

Suddenly a blonde flash flew past them to crash into the creature’s chest, knocking it backwards into the shrubs. Jenny was dragged a few more feet before it lost its grip on her, and she scrambled back frantically into Rupert’s arms, never taking her eyes of the violently shaking hedge.

Rupert helped her to her feet. “Are you alright?” he asked, checking her over for himself.

“I’m fine. A little scruffed up, but I’m okay. What was that?”

“I believe it was a Selmanach. You don’t usually see them above ground, though. Something must have driven it from its underground lair.”

“And that was Buffy, right? Will she be okay?”

“She should be,” he explained as Willow and Xander slid to a halt next to them. “They’re vulnerable enough if you can get close to them.”

Just then there was a sickening crunch and a wet slap from the shrubs, followed by a heavy crash. The bushes were silent for a moment.

“Oh, yuck.”

Buffy came back out of the hedge, her right arm covered in purple ichor, more of it dripping from her hair and splotching her face. “Why, Giles? Why can’t they have invisible guts?”

He smiled in amusement, but Jenny could see a hint of pride there as well. “Come on. I’ll take you home so you can get cleaned up.”

“I can’t go home. Mom’s there. How would I explain purple guts to her?”

“Don’t worry,” Willow consoled her. “You can come to my place. You know my parents never notice anything.”

Rupert looked apologetic as he handed Jenny her shawl before packing up the remnants of their picnic.

They dropped Xander off first and then the girls, riding in silence until they got back to her apartment. He got out first and opened the door for her, helping her out and walking her to her door.

“I’m sorry,” he finally said. “That’s certainly not the outcome I had planned for the evening.”

She smiled sympathetically. “Well, maybe you just set your expectations too high. Me, I just wanted a nice dinner, a good show, and then a little something to get my blood moving. I think this qualifies.”

He didn’t look any happier. “Yes, um, well, I won’t keep you. Thank you. For this evening.”

“Rupert,” she stopped him as he turned to leave.

“Yes?”

“This is the end of our second date.”

“Um, yes, I was aware . . .”

“It means you can kiss me good night.”

His eyes widened, but he turned back to her. “I would like that,” he said softly, bending his head to hers.

“So would I,” she breathed just before he pressed his lips to hers.

Warmth flooded through her at the gentle pressure of his firm lips against her mouth. Her heart fluttered the way it tended to do at first kisses. This was a good one, soft and curious but all too brief.

He pulled back, and she saw his eyes had darkened at the contact. She smiled, enjoying the effect she had on him as she slid her hand up around the nape of his neck to pull him close for another.

This kiss was a little more mobile, mouths opening slightly as they moved over each other. She could sense the passion he kept leashed as he indulged in the caress, feeling out all the corners of her lips with his own. When he finally pulled away again long minutes later, she could barely stand.

“Good night, Jenny.” His soft words sounded almost musical. “I’ll see you in school on Monday.”

She watched him leave, admiring his form and reveling in the lingering sensations of that kiss. This definitely was something she didn’t want to rush. He was so going to be worth the wait.


End file.
